BEST MOTORCYCLE RIDES IN NEVADA

ROUTES: Lakeshore Rd, NV-167, Valley of Fire Hwy
DISTANCE: 103 miles
TIME: 2 hours

The Hoover Dam alone is a site to see. But add the Valley of Fire, and you’ve got one of the best motorcycle roads in Nevada. Start at the Dam and head northwest along the serene Lake Mead and up to the geologic wonderland Valley of Fire State Park. Part of what makes this Nevada motorcycle route so great is the variety of scenery – Aztec sandstone, canyons, lake reservoir and vast, open desert road! If you’re looking to find motorcycle rides near Las Vegas, don’t miss the scenic Valley of Fire Highway!
(photo: flickr.com)


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ROUTES: US-50, NV-28, NV-431
DISTANCE: 60 miles
TIME: 1.5 hours

The southern portion of this Nevada motorcycle road travels along Lake Tahoe. Head south out of Reno and pick up the Mt Rose Highway NV-431 going southwest. The sweeping mountain views among the curves near Mt Rose make for a beautiful motorcycle ride in NV. There’s stunning scenery here, as you’ll reach elevations of almost 9,000 ft. These curves are definitely not for beginner motorcyclists! Once in the Lake Tahoe Basin, you can take the 72-mile drive around Lake Tahoe or venture southeast along NV-28 and explore the rugged east shore. Both US-50 and Kingsbury Grade in Stateline will take you to US 395 and back to Reno.
(photo: A. Smith)


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ROUTES: NV-159, Scenic Loop Dr
DISTANCE: 24 miles
TIME: 1 hour

Looking for motorcycle roads near Las Vegas? Just 20 miles west of Vegas is Nevada Route 159 which wraps around south through the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area. There’s some awesome mountain views on NV-159 which connects Route 215 to Route 260. Ride along with some technical turns as well as some great sweepers. Be sure to include the one lane Scenic Loop Rd included in the map link. There’s some nice short curves to navigate. The posted speed limit on this road is low, but it allows you to absorb the fantastic mountain desert scenery. Check out some of the surrounding hikes if you want to stretch the legs.
(photo: flickr.com)


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ROUTES: NV-156, 157, 158, 95 
DISTANCE: 58 miles
TIME: 1 hour

Looking for a great motorcycle road to escape the desert heat? Just about 20 miles north of Las Vegas is this Mount Charleston motorcycle ride. Enjoy Nevada’s mountain scenery on this loop that takes you through the beautiful Mt Charleston Mountain range. There are some nice curves along Deer Creek Rd with views of the nearby mountains, as well as some nice, long stretches. The forest pines makes for a nice change of scenery from other vast desert roads in Nevada. It’s definitely one of the best motorcycle rides near Las Vegas.
(photo: gomtcharleston.com)


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ROUTE: US-50
DISTANCE: 382 miles
TIME: 6 hours

U.S. Route 50 is known as Loneliest Road in America. Its most desolate, yet perhaps most interesting, stretch is its 300-mile span is in this Nevada motorcycle ride, where the road crosses the expansive Great Basin Desert and passes through several quirky small towns. Between the towns of Austin and Middlegate, optionally make an adventurous detour onto Highway 722. There’s some awesome twisties on this road with higher elevations overlooking Nevada’s mountain passes.
(photo: nationalgeographic.com)


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ROUTE: N Red Rock Rd
DISTANCE: 25 miles
TIME: 30 mins

Just north of Reno is this Nevada motorcycle ride that leads north to the California border into Doyle and the Red Rock Cliffs region. N Red Rock Rd is a smooth motorcycle road, with a fair amount of sweepers and twisties, all with the Dogskin Mountains in the distance. It’s a nice road that rides past farms and ranches. This optionally makes for a great loop ride as Route 395 connects on both ends.

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ROUTE: NF-660
DISTANCE: 13 miles
TIME: 30 mins

For an adventurous ride through the “Grand Canyon of Nevada”, be sure to check out the Lamoille Canyon. Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway can be started about 20 miles southeast of Elko, NV just off Hwy 80. On State Route 227, you’ll pass through the town of Spring Creek, and before the town of Lamoille, NV, turn south on Lamoille Canyon Road (NF-660). Although this is one of the shorter rides on our list, it’s well worth the ride. The road begins in the valley at 6000ft and curves along the bottom of the glacier carved canyon. The views from your motorcycle are spectacular. The surrounding mountains tower over the canyon, with peaks exceeding 11,000′ and dropping sharply down on either side of the long valley. Lamoille Creek flows along the roadway in places and there are several pull-offs available for pictures.
(photo: flickr.com)


Click here for the Google maps motorcycle route link

GreatMotorcycleRoads.com is the place to find the best motorcycle roads and rides near Nevada and the Southwest United States. Discover more great motorcycle roads in the Southwest with our detailed route descriptions and Google Maps links!